“Oh? Your mother? Is she still around or…”
“Hmm… yes, yes, my mother is still alive, we’re staying in Valorya. Only my dad passed away while I was young,” I confide.
“I’m sorry,” he says as he refills my glass, despite it not being empty yet.
“It’s fine, I barely remember him.”
We sit there for a moment, both in silence, but a comfortable one, as we take sips of our drinks. I swirl the liquid in my glass, glance at the dhampir, then back at my glass.
“Why would you respect that… Umbra,” I murmur.
His soulless eyes meet mine, and a shiver runs down my spine. He leans back in his chair, not losing my gaze.
“Because it’s the one creature stronger than all of us, Fynn. His species was created after the war came to an end, a final act by the Light to maintain some form of balance. My species was already here, a poor joke from Mother Nature herself, but the Umbra were supposed to make a real difference and keep everyone in line. However, the majority of them don’t reproduce and tend to remain solitary; they rarely even mate. Still, the power they hold and wield is incredible, and the Umbra residing in this area—well, let's say he and I have a mutual understanding. He protects what’s his, and I respect that.”
I huff at the last sentence. “Yeah, my fucking sister is his now. Fuck, this is such a cruel joke.”
The dhampir raises an eyebrow.
“The Umbra’s mate isyoursister? She holds the magic as well, then?”
I nod. Once more, we sit in silence for several minutes. I observe Faas deep in thought. For some reason, my revelation that my sister, of all things, is the Umbra’s mate has captured his attention. This time, he is the one to break the silence first.
“Does your mother know this, about your sister, I mean? What’s her name?” he asks.
“My sister's name is Harlot, and no, I don’t think Mother knows.”
“It’s probably for the best,” he says.
“What do you know about Aurum?” I ask him.
“Such a curious young man,” he chuckles.
“I… Sorry… I just don’t have that many people that I can ask these things to.”
“Your blood witch?”
My eyes light up at hearing him speak about Caria, and without thinking, I give him her name.
“Caria is definitely great; she has taught me a lot about this world, but Aurum is not something she’s that familiar with either.”
“Is that what she said, the little blood witch? Is her name Caria?Caria…” he lets her name roll off his tongue. “Well… then I’m sure she’s telling you the truth. I have all night, boy, nowhere else to be, so ask away.”
Faas slumps in his chair, settling in as if we will be spending the entire evening together. I don’t miss his insinuation that Caria is holding something back, but I brush it off. He did the same the first time we met, claiming she was using me. I shake off the thought. Caria will never do that to me.
I tell him I want to learn about the Aurum first; what is it? Where did it come from? And how can I wield it? How can I control it? We end up spending the entire night drinking and talking. I leave his trailer as the sun slowly rises and birds begin chirping their early-morning songs. Nature’s sounds are too loud for me as the headache forms from all the liquor I drank. I groan as the throbbing starts.
My head is spinning with all the information he gave me. The outcome of the Witch Wars resulted in this twisted world, a place no longer safe for humans, once submerged in Light, now drowning in Darkness. The purpose of the Aurum was to keep humanity safe. Faas told me where it came from. There’s a lot to digest; he provided me with a wealth of information, and so much of it makes sense now.
When I finally arrive at the inn, I go upstairs, and for once, my eyes do not roam to find Caria. All I want is to rest. I crash into my bed, startling a sleeping Jodelle, but I honestly don’t care. I ignore her murmuring as I turn onto my side, pretending to fall asleep instantly. She mutters some more, but then I hear her soft snores, and I smile.
Today was an interesting day to say the least. Overall, it was good, except for the part where I lost control of my powers around Caria and hurt her in the process. I can still smell the scent of her burning flesh, and I feel nauseous. Followed by the punishment of this… curse—the passing out afterward from the uncontrollable waves of pain. I still don’t understand the delay, what caused it.
It dawns on me how lucky I was that Faas was the one who found me passed out. The man is a well of knowledge, from which I can now tap into. For some reason, the Aurum didn’t activate when he touched me and brought me back to his compound outside the city. Either the Aurum doesn’t recognizea dhampir as a dark creature, or it means I can trust him. Or perhaps the Aurum stays dormant when I’m collapsed, unable to identify friend or foe. Either way, I learned a great deal today; it was well worth it. This night I have heard more about this world than in my entire life. Perhaps, once Faas has taught me to wield the Aurum, I can use it to distract the Umbra just enough to lure Harlot away from him. Or maybe I can use the magic against her, now that she’s his mate, as the dhampir had said. Whatever that entails. Either way, her connection with that Umbra can’t be healthy. I have seen the difference in her eyes; she’s no longer human. If she’s a darkling now, she’s prone to the magic. I fall asleep with a grin as exhaustion takes hold of me.
Molding Reality
Caria
